


the third option

by Archadian_Skies



Series: DBH rarepair week 2020 [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Bad Flirting, Bars and Pubs, Established Relationship, F/F, Gen, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Unwanted attention, Women Being Awesome, men unable to take a hint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23409658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archadian_Skies/pseuds/Archadian_Skies
Summary: Tuesday Day 2: Fight vs Flight; post-revolution Tina/ST300
Relationships: Tina Chen/ST300 Android(s)
Series: DBH rarepair week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1682719
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	the third option

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of last round's DBH rarepairs fic [[and we will never be afraid again](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20597447).]

There’s a new bar that opens up three blocks from the precinct, run by a human and her android husband. It’s a bustling place, safe and vibrant and lively and frequented by humans and androids alike. Drinks are typical human alcohol beverages and experimental iced Teariums with coding that purposely addles the senses, dulling them ever so slightly and eliciting a pleasant tingling feeling in their extremities to mimic the same effect as alcohol. 

It’s fast becoming a favourite haunt for the precinct, and Stephanie finds herself mingling with her colleagues most days after hours too. That and well, it’s Tina’s new favourite haunt and Stephanie is glad to share a liked mutual space with her girlfriend. 

‘Girlfriend’. She’s not sure how a simple word elicits the same pleasant tingling as coded Tearium, but she’s not going to question it. Even before her deviancy she’d been drawn to Officer Tina Chen, and ever since the revolution, ever since Tina risked her job to hide her and keep her safe, she knows she loves her more than she can logically compute. Said girlfriend is currently at the bar ordering drinks, and Stephanie smiles softly when Tina glances at her briefly, delighting in the blush that spreads on her cheeks and knowing she’s the one who caused it.

“Hey.” Someone slides into view, a human male in his late twenties.

“Hello.” She greets politely. 

“I’ve never been here before, you recommend anything?” He leans casually against her table and she runs his face through their facial database on instinct. No criminal record. It’s a start, she supposes.

“I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with human beverages.” She turns her head slightly so her LED is in full view. “Though I’m sure Smita can recommend excellent choices.”

“Aren’t androids supposed to know how to please humans?” He grins, leaning just a little closer. “Ain’t it all just floating around in that pretty head of yours? I know you’re all programmed to give a good time, even if you’re not one of the fancy Eden girls.”

There’s two well-known reactions, human reactions, to danger: fight or flight. What most don’t know is there’s a third, and that is ‘freeze’. She’s not sure if CyberLife programmed such reactions into their androids too, but she’s certainly experiencing it. Stephanie feels frozen solid, unable to calculate a response, unable to decide whether to push him away or simply flee and he seems to take her silence as confirmation. 

“You’re so pretty.” He smiles and it’s nothing like the smiles of her male colleagues, there’s nothing friendly, nothing fond to be found in the gesture at all. He’s smiling at her like he’s appraising an object he wants to possess and she’s suffocating in her own fear.

“She’s not interested.” Tina declares, setting two drinks down on the table. The man cocks a brow at her, looking at her from head to toe and Stephanie can see him do it, can see him appraise her and decide she’s not an object he wants to possess.

“Androids can make their own decisions now, didn’t you know?” He sneers, flashing Stephanie a lecherous grin and she feels sick to her non-existent stomach. “A tall drink of water like her is just what a parched guy like me needs.”

“I said,” Tina holds up her badge so close it’s almost touching his nose, “she’s not interested.”

That gets his full attention, and he steps back with a frown. “Hey I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Excellent, then best you leave now before you do.” Tina smiles all saccharine sweet and makes a shooing motion.

He scowls at her, mouth open to spit back some retort before he seems to think better of it and all but stomps off. Tina reaches over and holds her hand, and it’s only then that she realises she’s trembling all over.

“Hey, he’s gone.” Tina soothes, bringing her hand to her lips and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “He’s not gonna bother you anymore. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“He just-” she struggles to find the right words, “I feel so dirty and he didn’t even touch me. Just the way he looked at me made me feel like I was some toy!”

Tina reaches over and cups her cheek, rubbing her thumb back and forth in an affectionate way. “I’m sorry, Steph.”

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for.” Stephanie gathers her composure, leaning into her touch. “You’re my heroine yet again, saving me from another horrible situation. My knight in her shining leather jacket.”

Tina huffs a laugh, rolling her eyes and pretending to be exasperated. Leaning over the small table, Stephanie presses a grateful kiss to her mouth and it’s like the last few minutes melt away into nothingness and all's right with the world yet again.

**Author's Note:**

>   
> [I'm still on this hellsite.](https://archadianskies.tumblr.com/)  
>   
> Tina and Stephanie also feature in my other fic [[if you go, take a little piece of me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21220943)] .  
> 


End file.
